Watching. Waiting.

[Hades Styx II]

Regardless that it was getting late in the evening, the sun was still out, but it looked rather dark where Hades Lutrov II was at right now. Not too deep but the edge was in the distance, sat the Hufflepuf boy in a tree having climbed it with ease. Right now, Hades was currently doing what he did best and that was watch people. He could see them in the distance and he could see them run from the forest in terror, or those that dared enough to join Hades in the forest, however unaware that he was above and watching their every movement. However, there was one student that Hades had his mind on. A girl that seemed to be a little older than himself, but still a student all the same. Hades did not make a sound, nor did he move an inch as he continued to stare down at her as she entered the forest. A brave girl, she seems to be, mused the lad in his mind. Hades wondered if it was ever going to take someone to run her off. But in a way, Hades did not see a reason for her to run. Things just seemed to get more and more interesting.

There was something about her that struck him as particular. Hades did not say a word yet, but he would eventually. As time would roll and he would see fit to, things would get more and more entertaining for the Hufflepuff. He would just have to sit back and wait for the time being. But what was up with this girl? She was something else, and it had caught his attention. One would think that this is a good thing, but no. Hades was indeed his father's son, and that always indicated that there was something up when one catches their interest. He softly brushed his hair to the side, as he watched. His white skin could barely be seen up in the trees. His onyx eyes had adjusted to the tints of the forest. His hair was as black as ebony. His robes blanketed his skin and the only splash of color on him was the Huffelpuff tie upon his neck. Hades waited, and he watched.

 

[Mylie Styx]

Mylie found her body within the dark forest once again. It seemed like this place called out to her and without even realizing it she responded to the call it sent out every single time. It was quiet here. And it had a sense of darkness and harshness to it that Mylie seemed to feel at always peace here because there was nothing judging her inside the forest. There was nothing she had to compete against to be seen. No one she had to impress to be liked. She could be herself and truly herself here because in reality even the strangest of creatures was like an equal to her. Mylie was a freak and she could easily admit that to herself without any care. Did it really matter if she tried to hide it anyways? No matter how much a person tried to cover up their real cause and pretend that they were someone else, a freak was still a freak. Not all the clothing in the world could fix that, not all the beauty, not even the amount of money. Sure friends could be bought for the time but once they realized how abnormal you were or all the strangeness you contained, they would be against you. They would fear you, and they would judge you. That is why Mylie didn't bother to hide from anyone that she was a little bit different. It had taken her a little bit of reading during her past year but she searched up every kind of magical ability possible and came across only a few that would her. Eventually she settled on a something called a Metamorphmagus. It was when a person had ability to change his or her physical appearance at will without a potion or something. This was indeed the very thing that the young Hufflepuff female could do. All of her life she was able to change anything about her appearance. Her eyes, her hair, the way her face was shaped, everything one could possibly imagine. She could be anything a person wanted her to be. But that wouldn't fix anything. She'd still be the same ol' Mylie that she always was and always has been. A few birds fluttered around within the forest as Mylie listened carefully. She could hear someone. Feel someone watching her. If they were tying to hide themselves from her they weren't doing a very good job.

"If your going to keep watching me all day you might as well come down. I know your there." Mylie called out. Her head turning to face the tree's and her brown eyes turning to a brilliant red out of anger and annoyance. Mylie still was not very good at keeping her ability to a minimum when she was angry. Her eyes peered out at the possible area where the person could be. She didn't know whether it was male or female, if they were older or younger. Mylie just felt like she was being watched and she hated it. Her eyes returned to the coco brown they usually were and Mylie breathed out before she turned and headed further into the forest. She was not going to put up with being followed by someone she didn't know. Nor prolly didn't like. It felt like an insult to her privacy that she so throughly enjoyed.

 

[Hades Styx II]

Despite the fact that Hades was in the trees, his stare was piercing, and one that was sensitive to it might be able to sense it but would probably not know where it was coming from. Hades narrowed his eyes when the girl that he had figured to be a Hufflepuff like himself. Just a little older. However, her voice called him out, and said to come out. Hades debated on just remaining silent, but his eyes caught something. She had red eyes? That was not what he remembered. He remembered a shade of brown. How could eyes change colors like that? Hades glanced down at his own skin color and saw how white he looked. He looked abnormal, his own family were like that. How could one live with themselves that could not be out in the sunlight because it harmed one's skin so pale as his? He would not tan either. He may be pure, but there was just something else that just made people walk away from him. Hades did not care about that, he truly did not. He wanted nothing more but for people to run from him. Hades found it somewhat entertaining. Hades continued to remain in the tree, debating on what he should do next. Her walk itself seem like she was not afraid of anything in this forest. Hades had seen a lot of things, met people who had things that seemed so rare. He had seen a Veela, well, not full. He had met a Parselmouth, hell he was related to one. He had met an inbred which was not something to really be proud of.

But having one's eyes change without aid of a spell or a potion was just too much for Hades to go without knowing. Hades decided to make himself known. Hopping from the tree, he landed somewhat in front of the girl. He was tall, tall enough to be thought of as a third year. His onyx eyes swarmed with curiosity, but they were cold, emotionless. Hades murmured, "Knowing is not the same thing as seeing. I am not the only being in here that watches humans pass in and out of here." Hades glanced down at his robes and he then narrowed his gaze onto the older girl. He slowly cocked his head to the side, and he was going to find out what exactly this girl could do, perhaps do a little research about her. Hades hated to play this, but he decided to, "With all due respect," his tone saying anything but, "I do believe that I did not follow you here, but rather, I was already in the trees when you came strolling along." Hades' tone was almost robotic, and he did not care how he sounded right now. He was nothing more but curious. Hades fell into an eerie silence, before he glanced up at the trees, and he climbed up another one with amazing speed. He sat down on a thick branch, and he wondered just how deep into the forest that she would venture into. Rumors came and went saying that a boy once died here. A first year should be scared, but Hades had yet to really find out what he was afraid of. Perhaps sunlight from the way his skin was. He was white as a ghost, his voice as cold as a corpse, and his emotions vague and empty.

 

[Mylie Styx]

Mylie didn't need to linger long before the boy hopped down from the tree and landed on the ground somewhat near her. The Hufflepuff couldn't really make an estimate on how high up he had been but it must have been higher than she originally figured by the sound his shoes made when they hit the ground. After living in Hawaii for years she was used to a sandier terrain that made a much different sound when one walked upon it, here it was so easy to tell when another was making their way toward her or away from her because solid ground made it easier to hear than the sand often did. Mylie finally turned her face to look at the boy. Her eyes widened vaguely when she saw that he was quite a deal older looking than was. By height at least. While she barely looked like she was the proper height for a second year he looked like he could easily blend it with the fourth or third years. His eyes were black too. Black as coal, as the night sky, probably as dark as his heart was. For a moment Mylie's own eyes flickered to the same color as his own eyes, then they returned to the cocoa brown they were before. He responded and defended himself from her earlier accusations. The entire time Mylie stood silent. Her eyes shifted to various places in the forest as animals scurried about. "My apologies. I am not too sure about the others in this school yet. They think I'm a freak so I'm sure they would love the chance to cause me some form of distress." Her voice lightened but still had a a sense of monotone lacing it. It actually sounded more frightened than anything else. This boy was not like the others and she could already sense that. Her heart was grateful for it because she needed a moment of serenity. However, the meeting between them would not last long. Mylie didn't like being around others in fear that they would find out about her ability. Her thing that made her so much different than the others in her year. Than in the school. She tried to hide it as much as possible. It made her very timid and awkward around others. Which in turn made her seem a little creepy. Mylie was a friendly soul. She wasn't comfortable with lots of people around to judge her though.

Mylie craned her neck to watch the boy climb back up a tree again. He was quite the climber for someone his age, perhaps he was genetically enhanced or something. She wasn't a very skillful climber herself unless she gave herself sharper nails. Which was something she could actually do. But being up in the tree's with a complete stranger whom seemed a little on the wrong side himself wasn't exactly something she was too pleased about. Your a Hufflepuff right? I'm not sure but I do recall you being in the Common Room once or twice. Your..quiet so it's a little hard to remember you exactly. But- why do you hide in the tree's? Surely there is nothing out there that you are waiting for." Mylie's soft tone made her sound like softie. But she was being firmed and she trying to dig into the boy's mind a little bit. Quieter people made it easier for her to get along with them. But she also grew more worried that they would observe her being different. A gentle breeze fluttered the leaves against one another creating a heavyset tone of shaking leaves. A small spier creeped onto Mylie's arm from a nearby branch and she flicked it off carelessly. She wasn't afraid of spider. Sure they were ugly but they reminded her of herself, almost. Sure Mylie wasn't as creepy looking as they were but despite the fact that they both could be useful people avoided them regardless. Mylie leaned against the tree trunk adjacent to the tree the boy was and looked up at him. Her brown eyes pooling with curiosity.

 

[Hades Styx II]

Hades could not help but notice something very different about her, and it definitely had him drawn. Once she turned around, Hades wondered where she had come from to look like she did. The fact that her accent was almost impossible to identify with was also a little more intriguing. Hades decided not to really worry about it too much, but there was just something that he liked and what he liked, he normally had. That was a little odd because Hades never really wanted anything from anyone. Yet, he was wanting information. What was she, and how could she do this - change of eye color without aid of a spell? Hades rocked slowly back and forth on the branch that he was sitting on, occasionally moving his legs before he became as still as a statue, sitting on the tree and watching the Hufflepuff girl. "Your apologies," Hades stated, "are accepted. Others in this school would not know what normal was if it hit them in the face with a dragon's tail. I've yet to discover any being that wishes to bring another harm that does not deserve such treatment." Hades sounded like he was at least three years older than he originally was, but it was how he was raised to be. He was sharp, quick-witted and he was going to find out all he could about this school, and see if it was worth spending the next seven years here. Hades slowly shifted once more so that his back was against the trunk of the tree. Whatever she could do, it was already discovered. Hades did not think that she really feared it, because he did not know her long enough to really determine how she felt about anything, or anyone. Just that she thought that some people here in the school would be out to get her. Hades figured that it would probably not help if he just added onto that at all. He did not think that she would be really leaving here so soon, but he wasn't either. Would she stick around him for too long today?

His onyx eyes went back to her own cocoa brown eyes that he had earlier seen changed, but he did not question it just yet. Hades nodded once and he answered, "I am. If I were in any other house, you would not have seen me in that common room anyway." Hades glanced down at the branch for a moment, and then he stared once more at her. What was she implying? He raised an eyebrow, and tiny bit of emotion scurried onto his face, just as quick as it came, it left. The emotion was disbelief. Hades shook his head, "I don't hide in the trees. I observe others from the trees. It is easier to see people and how they are when you are at a greater height. My father taught that to me." Hades seemed almost secluded from society, the way he was acting toward people if he was seen trying to associate himself with others. Very few seemed to appeal to him, which was why he never bothered with trying to make friends and find future mates. He did not see the issue with always needing someone to exchange saliva with. It was just annoying actually. And he hated seeing it. A breeze fluttered through the forest, blowing his black hair gently across his forehead. Hades noticed that she did not seem afraid of spiders, which was something that most girls would be afraid of. The Hufflepuff questioned suddenly, "Your appearance; can you control what you can look like?" Hades was curious to this because he wondered if he was looking at what she really looked like right now. Her natural state. If it was, Hades did in fact find her quite beautiful, but there was no attraction there (because Hades had not developed that just yet). He was a boy, but he just view females as females, and that was it. Nothing more about them, they were just slightly different creatures from the males. His onyx eyes studied her own eyes curiously.

 

[Mylie Styx]

Mylie could easily grasp a hold of the fact that she was being watched carefully by the boy that was keeping her company within the forest. There was probably a chance that he was judging her as well. But what exactly was he judging her on? Deep inside the Hufflepuff's subconscious she knew that he had all the reason in the world to judge her as being a strange individual. There wasn't a normal thing about her thanks to that strange ability she had been gifted with at birth. But she prayed to anyone listening or caring about her welfare that he didn't notice. That he was too occupied with being a tree hugger to notice the strange coloring of her eyes that changed from time to time. That was all that she had changed about her appearance so far right? If there was changes about her facial structure or hair color then she would be outted quicker than schoolchildren flocked to cookies and milk while they were hungry. People these days seemed to pay attention to little detail so her eyes might have been missed by the boy. If it wasn't missed then Mylie would probably have to get away from him. At one point in her life she was proud to show her true colors and her ability to people. But her father's rejection towards her made her more reclusive and unwilling to show others what she could do. "Would there be consequences if I hadn't apologized anyways? As for being undeserving of such treatment, people get murdered all the without having a reason to be murdered. The children at this school lack the brain capacity to realize the difference though.” The boy slowly shifted once more so that his back was against the trunk of the tree and Mylie nearly mimicked him. Instead she trailed away from the tree and bit her cheek softly. They were similar and she could see that. The very way they moved was slow and careful. Both like hawk’s, sharp eyes trying to observe things that could be helpful in the future. But the fact that he was highly observant and quiet made the elder Hufflepuff a little bit more nervous about him. Would it be a short time before he discovered more things about her? Mylie was a soft person who liked to be on her own. Could he discover the things she intended to keep hidden from him? Not even her own mother knew much about her when she reached the age she was close to now. Her mother barely reacted to her now anyways. She was a good and caring mother but her mother seemed distant these days. Mayhaps it was the divorce she had gone through and affected the way she felt for things. But Mylie didn’t want to think about that. The marriage she had ended was better off for her because the muggle that was Mylie’s father was cruel. Cruel to the point where it made Mylie almost hate herself.

”I’ve never seen you anywhere before really. You think I would have noticed more easily, you seem like someone that would, stand out in a crowd” Mylie shrugged her shoulders with a simple stare then let her legs carry her further into the forest than she was previously. It distanced herself from the boy and that was what she wanted. Only because she became nervous about him figuring out that she was hiding a deep secret from him. One, that if he found out, he could reveal to everyone and make her look like a freak. ”Do you ever get lonely just observing people from so high above?” Or did he not care if he was lonely? Overall being alone sometimes seemed like a better method as that kept you from being judged and destroyed by others. Mylie figured this boy wasn’t thrilled with being involved with others. Did he want a friend? Were friends worth the trouble that came with having one? Mylie deemed it not worthy in her own terms. Why go through the hate and misery that came from it. It could be the drama of two girls liking one boy. Or gossiping. Mylie had only been at the school for little over a year and she had seen it all. Children were so hateful and stupid. It was a disgusting nature that she refused to be a part of. The boy in the tree’s regarded her about changing her appearance at will and Mylie froze. Her eyes widened slightly. Now she was going to lie and run. Get away and hope that he left her alone. “Apparently your observation skills need work. Of course I can’t. I-I have to go now." Mylie trudged through the thicket and gave the boy in the tree’s one last look, her eyes lining with a deep onyx color before they returned to their cocoa brown and Mylie turned her head. So he noticed that she was different. The elder Hufflepuff would never admit that he was right. Mylie didn’t want the world to know that she was strange. That she was different. If she could fit in, and overcome her feeling of never really being able to belong like everyone else. Then her life would be perfect.

 

[Hades Styx II]

The Hufflepuff boy that just did not belong was curious with the girl, curious over what she was and how she like him did not belong. He knew that she did not, but he did not voice his opinion out to her because that was something he assumed that she knew already. Hades softly moved his black hair from his onyx eyes, and he continued to stare at her, wondering what she was thinking right now. Something about her just drew her to him. He knew this would not be the only meeting. Perhaps he could really try to be like his father and follow someone around as if he were obsessed with him. Perhaps he was getting to the point where he was developing that too. Hades thought for a moment, and he shrugged lightly. He did not care if she had apologized or not. He rarely said useless words such as that. Hades pointed out, "No, because I am not the type to base my thoughts and feelings over a simple apology which could mean nothing. I do have a counter argument as well against that. Who are we to say that we knew everything about that person, and they could have done to end up be murdered. Students in this school lack the brains, period." Hades thought that he would have been better off homeschooled, but then again, he could really get his mind wrapped around the real world. Hades continued to keep those piercing eyes upon the other girl, Mylie, and wondered what she was wanting. She was still here, and she was almost like him. Hades could see her movements, see her expressions, all of them too similar to what he was used to seeing in his own reflection.

Never had he seen this before, and it was something that Hades was thoroughly interested in. How could he not like this girl? She was just too interesting to even bother giving up so easily. Hades pointed out, "However, I am not apart of any crowd. You will see me where no other students would be, except precisely in class." Hades shrugged lightly, before he stood up on his feet, keeping a balance on the branch with his hand on the bark of the tree. His eyes remained on the Hufflepuff as she moved further and further, only increasing the distance between the two, and he was keeping an eye on her footsteps. Why was she distancing herself from him? Hades glanced down and averted his eyes from her own for a moment, before he shook his head, "I know not what it feels to be lonely, Mylie. Observing people is feeling and has its own rewards." He was quoting his father when he said that, so he sounded just so much wiser than he appeared. Hades was intelligent, but he only knew what he knew from his father and no one else. Once Hades called her out on her ability, she seemed to lie and then run. It was something that automatically triggered something in his mind. He had to know more about her. Once she seemed to be out of his sight, Hades hopped from the tree, and he murmured, "I am never wrong about my observant skills." Hades followed the footsteps, could see the outline of that Hufflepuff, and from then on, the following would begin. The start of a journey that would never cease, and then, only then would Hades Lutrov the Second truly be his father's son.